At first glance, the words submission and obedience might seem to be synonyms, but there is a difference between them, and especially as they are used in the Word of God. The actual word “submission” is not used in Scripture, but the word “submit” is used twelve times. Both submission and obedience are important, for the words are not only used of mankind, but also are applied to our blessed Lord.
The word “obedience” has the thought of doing what is obligatory when we are under authority; it is a duty that is derived from a relationship to one under whose power we are. Thus obedience is rather an act which involves either doing something, or occasionally not doing something. Obedience may be rendered willingly or unwillingly. Submission, on the other hand, while embodying much of what is true of obedience, is rather an attitude, for it involves (at least in Scripture) a spirit of readiness to follow the will of another. It is more passive, involving acquiescence in what another wishes. Of course authority exists, or submission would have no meaning, but love is involved, and thus the whole focus is different. The difference may be slight, but it is very important.
Our Relationships
For example, in Scripture children are told to obey their parents, and servants are told to be obedient to their masters (Eph. 6:1,51Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1)
5Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; (Ephesians 6:5)). This is in order, for in each case those who are told to obey are under rule, and must do what they are told, even if in some cases the obedience is distasteful and difficult. On the other hand, wives are told to submit to their husbands, and brethren are exhorted to be in an attitude of submitting to one another (Eph. 5:21-2221Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (Ephesians 5:21‑22)). We have the same expression in 1 Peter 5:55Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)—“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility.” This is also appropriate to the relationship, for in a proper Christian relationship, the wife’s relationship to her husband is totally different to that of their children. Likewise, the relationship of brethren in Christ to one another is quite different from that of servants to their masters. In both of these latter cases, love and respect come into the picture, and the submitting is done on that basis.
The Lord’s Obedience
There are various spheres of submission and obedience in the Word of God, and we would like, with the Lord’s help, to consider a few of them. First of all, let us consider our blessed Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. In speaking of Him, we tread on holy ground, and thus would seek to keep within the language of the Word of God.
When He was a boy of twelve years old, we read of the Lord Jesus, concerning His earthly parents, that “he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them (Luke 2:5151And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. (Luke 2:51)). Surely this was no mere obedience because of rule or authority, although the authority of the parents was owned. But it was the glad and spontaneous submission of One who, in all the perfection of His Person, took that place of obedience that belonged to the creature. He did not need to do so, but willingly came into this world, and submitted to what the Father’s will required. Thus His pathway is one of beautiful subjection to every legitimate authority in this world, and to whatever was normal and proper for a creature before God. Here was one object on which the eye of God could rest with real pleasure, for He could say, “For I do always those things that please him [the Father]” (John 8:2929And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:29)).
Obedient Unto Death
On the other hand (and again, we speak with the utmost reverence), the word submit, or be subject is not used when His sufferings on the cross are in view; rather, the word obedient is used. Thus we read that He became “obedient unto death” (Phil. 2:88And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8)), and that “though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered” (Heb. 5:88Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (Hebrews 5:8)). This in no way implies that our blessed Lord did not gladly obey, for we also read that “Jesus ... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Heb. 12:22Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)). But Scripture emphasizes that the work on the cross was of such an extreme character, that our Lord’s holy nature shrank from it, with “sweat as it were great drops of blood” (Luke 22:4444And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:44)). Only the Father’s will, and His love to us, took Him there; thus His obedience is emphasized in Scripture, although surely submission was there as well.
Perfect Submission and Obedience
His submission and obedience were perfect, whether in His life down here, or His death on the cross. What wonder and worship fill our hearts, as we see that One, walking through this world, submitting to all that sin had brought in, whether from the condition of this world, or from the hatred of man! At every step we see His beauty and perfection, as He accepts all from the Father, and dispenses love and grace on every hand. To be sure, He could administer a stern rebuke when needed, but we would point out that this was done only when the Father’s glory was at stake. It was never done for personal reasons, or to defend Himself. Here was a submission that draws out only our admiration and praise.
At the cross all is brought to a head, for everything comes together there—the hatred of man, the power of Satan, the awfulness of the load of sin to be placed upon Him, the wrath of a holy God, and perhaps most penetrating of all, the forsaking of God. Yet He bore it all, and in love and grace, His obedience rises to a height never seen before, as He accepts the cup of wrath. Here was an obedience before which we stand in awe, as we gaze by faith on that scene.
But God will have an answer to all this, for man must either bow before that blessed Man as Saviour now, or face Him in a coming day as Judge. Even now, “Angels and authorities and powers” are “made subject unto him” (1 Pet. 3:2222Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3:22)), but in a coming day He will be displayed in power and glory, and “as soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me” (Psa. 18:4444As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. (Psalm 18:44)). God’s answer to the cross will be to exalt that blessed One in this world—the same world that rejected Him.
Christ the Example
But the words submission and obedience have an application to us. In all this, Christ is an example to us. While in the garden of Gethsemane, He could tell His disciples to “watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation” (Matt. 26:4141Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)). He prayed because of what was coming upon Him; they too needed to pray, for Satan would be there with temptation for them. When difficulties come into our lives, whether from our own failure, or simply in the pathway of faith, we need grace to face them, rather than to seek an easier path to sidestep them. As Satan sought to turn the Lord away from the pathway of obedience, so also he assails us, pointing out the painfulness of that path. If we listen to him, we may well turn aside from the walk of faith, and seek an easier road. But the difficult path is the path of life and uprightness before God, and God Himself is there. Also, the One who overcame is with us in that path, as our great high Priest. If we anticipate hard circumstances, it is well if we go to Him beforehand, for as another has said, “If we have gone through the trouble of circumstances with God beforehand, the circumstances themselves will be but the occasion of obedience, when they do come upon us.”
The tendency of the natural heart is to seek to avoid the trial, and then, instead of the glory of God, the path of self and disobedience will be before us. Again quoting another, “We choose iniquity instead of affliction.” All this is true even when we have brought the trouble upon ourselves, a situation all too common in the Christian’s life. If we leave the path of faithfulness, we either avoid the trial, or pass through with man. In both cases we make ourselves more miserable, and miss the blessing God has for us. If we go through the discipline with God, it loses its bitterness, and coming from the hand of God, will surely yield “the peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12:1111Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (Hebrews 12:11)).
Submission to One Another
One final word on submission and obedience, when others are involved. We have already seen how that it is appropriate for children and servants to obey parents and masters, as those who are over them with authority. However, when it comes to our relationships with our brethren, once again we find both words used.
First of all, we are to be in submission to one another, for we read, “Ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility (1 Pet. 5:55Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)). Likewise, we read “submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” (Eph. 5:2121Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:21)). On the other hand, when it is a question of those in responsibility and authority in the assembly, there are times when the word “obedience” is used. Thus we are told, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account” (Heb. 13:1717Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17)). The normal relationship among believers would be that of submission, whether to those in authority, or to one another. However, there may be times when simple obedience is necessary, even if we do not understand completely.
Government Authorities
When it comes to government in this world, once again both words are used. We are told to “be subject unto the higher powers,” and that we “must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake” (Rom. 13:1,51Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1)
5Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. (Romans 13:5)). There is to be an attitude of proper and willing subjection to the powers over us, because God has put them there. However, Titus was to tell the Cretians not only to “be subject to principalities and powers,” but also “to obey magistrates” (Titus 3:11Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, (Titus 3:1)). Sometimes the governments of this world are allowed of God to be composed of “the basest of men” (Dan. 4:1717This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. (Daniel 4:17)); then obedience is necessary, for their edicts can be very hard to accept, and even unreasonable. Of course, we are to obey “in the Lord,” which means that God’s authority and claims must take precedence over any rule of man. We must not violate our conscience before God, in obeying a ruler who would compel us to do wrong. But this is unusual, and in every other situation, the believer is called to obey, even that which is most trying.
Attitude
In summary, we can say that an attitude of submission is fitting for every Christian, for it is to follow in the steps of our blessed Lord and Master. He who took that place has left us an example. However, there may well be times in our lives when the path ahead seems so difficult, so unpleasant for us, that we must ask for grace simply to be obedient. This too is to walk in His steps, for He was “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:88And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8)). We need grace from the Lord Himself, and a full sense of His love in our hearts, to walk in a path of submission and obedience, until He calls us home.
W. J. Prost